About FoodMayhem

In the chaotic kitchen of a recipe developer, you get a food blog called FoodMayhem.

I'm Jessica, an Asian-American, born and raised in NYC, and that's Lon, my Jewish, white husband. While professionally trained as a French culinary- and pastry chef, many of FoodMayhem recipes are my attempt to preserve and share authentic Chinese and Taiwanese recipes learned from my mom. We don't eat Chinese food every day, so you'll get a little bit of anything we find delicious enough to share: from our Eastern European side; recipes and techniques learned from my restaurant days; restaurant reviews, food travel tips; and a few other juicy bits along the way. Welcome to FoodMayhem!

Recipes that include edamame

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

People always talk about the weird cravings pregnant women have but what about the strange aversions. It’s so odd to suddenly be repulsed by your own favorite foods. I can’t believe that I’ll turn away a plate of slender crispy fries, a cup of smoky dark chocolate ice cream, or even a garlicky bowl of linguine with clams. Like many others with morning sickness, I had a really hard time eating meat and fish in general. I still tried my best to eat some because I knew I needed the protein, iron, B6, and other good stuff. Oddly enough the one I hated the most was chicken, the one I would think was the lightest of the meats.

My sweet mom has been catering to me every day, asking me what I would like to eat, or more what I can stand eating. There is a tendency to just carb-load on plain breads, rice, and noodles so for some more nutrition, I asked for a vegetarian dish. This Shanghainese dish of Soy Beans, Snow Cabbage, and Tofu Skin Ribbons is light yet packed with protein.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Soo Hwang Chue sounds a little better in Chinese than it does translated into Vegetarian Yellow Sparrow, and like the Lion’s Head Casserole, these don’t really look like birds. Naming issues aside, it’s a fabulous dish. It takes a little prep work and a bit of finesse, so it’s one of those dishes that you want to make for your special vegetarian friend to show them that you went the extra bit for them. It’s full of so many nutritious ingredients like shitake mushrooms, black fungus, and lily buds, all considered to have medicinal properties to enrich good health. The edamame, dry bean curd, and bean curd sheets round-out this dish with an abundant source of protein. In my opinion, this is the perfect vegetarian dish.

Monday, August 25, 2008

This recipe has been swimming around in my head for a while, editing back and forth, with nothing written down. I finally let it materialize and I’m very happy with it. Even Mr. Soba-hater, Lon, gave me the thumbs up. It’s really refreshing and perfect for summer so make sure to try it before fall comes around.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Quinoa is a wonderful ingredient, that can be used as a substitute for rice or cous cous in most recipes. It is high in protein and has many health benefits. The best part is that it tastes good. I love it because it’s chewy and the mild flavor takes on any sauce or dressing well. In the Spring, I love colorful salads and Quinoa makes a lovely one.